Tractor connection.



G. D. MUNSING.

TRACTOR CONNECTION.

APPLICATION rum) AUG.13, 1912.

Patented Nov. 18, 1913.

3 SHEBTS-BHEET 1.

[N VEN TOR WITNESSES G. D. MUNSING. TRACTOR GONNEGTION. --APPLIQATION I'ILED AUG. 13, 1912.

1,078,801, Patented Nov. 18, 1913. a SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESS G. D. MUNSING.

TRACTOR CONNECTION. APPLIOATION TILED 11116.13, 1912. I 1,078,801 Patented Nov. 18, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

36 WITNESS INVENTOR G" I I 4 To all whom it may concern:

UNITED- STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE D. MUNSING, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE D. MU'NSING AND CHARLES E. INGEBSOLL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A COPARTNERSHIP DOING BUSINESS AS MUNSING AND IN GERSOLL.

TRACTOR CONNECTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 18, 1913.

Application filed August 13 1912. Serial No. 714,817.

Be it known that I, GEORGE D. MUNsINe, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at New York city, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new, and useful Improvements in Tractor Connections; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,reference being had. to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to tractor connec- I tions, that is'to say, to that mechanism connecting a tractor, customarily a three wheeled motor vehicle, with the wagon or other vehicle to be drawn thereby.

At present some tractors are connected to the vehicle to be drawn at two points, the object being to prevent the tractor from doubling up on the vehicle or close like a jack knife when backing, it being understood that the front or caster wheel of the tractor is mounted to rotate about a vertical axis.

By the present invention the front wheels of the vehicle are removed and the front end of the vehicle body rests directly on and is supported by the connecting mechanism forming thesubject matter of this invention, located preferably, but not necessarily over the rear axle of the tractor.

The connecting mechanism between tractor and vehicle must be such as to allow the front end of the vehicle to have universal movement to a certain extent and at the same time permit the rotation of the tractor about the center of connection, and at the same time means must be provided to frictionally retard the turning of the tractor with respect to the vehicle at its point of connection. It is not possible to use apositive locking means for the rotating element of this connection for the reason that sudden jolts and jars are apt to break the parts so locked.

Referring to the drawings in which like parts are similarly designated: Figure 1,is a plan view of the tractor connection embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a section taken substantially at right angles to Fig. 3. Fig. 5'is a modification shown in elevatiomand Fig.6 is a partial horizontal section thereof.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, between the longitudinal members 1 of the chassis of the tractor are the cross members 2 suitably connected thereto. These members are either structural shapes or built up of such shapes, however, it is immaterial how the chassis is made so long-as it is provided with supports equivalent to the cross members 2 for supporting the structure forming the subject matter of this invention.

Resting on the transverse supports 2 and bolted or otherwise secured thereto is a ring 3. Resting-on this ring is a casting 4 having ,a base or circular portion 4* for engaging the ring 3 and a cylindrical portion 4 engaged by a friction brake 5 and having a central spherical portion 4 provided with acentral perforation or circular opening 4:

land lateral slots 4 that extend downward below the horizontal diameter of the spherigcal portion 1. Within the spherical por- Etion 4 is spherical bushing 6 having a central perforation 6 arranged to register with the perforation 4 and also having lateral }slots 6 arranged to register with the slots 46*. i lVithin the bushing 6 is placed a spherical gbearing 7 preferably, but not necessarily ihollow, connected by. a neck 8 to flange 9, lwhich is bolted or otherwise suitably secured %to the front portion of the bottom 10 of a vehicle to be connected to the tractor. The

'spherical bearing -7 is provided with diametrically opposite pins 11, said pins lying :in the, slots 4 and a vertically depending fking bolt 12, which king bolt passes through Zthe perforation 6 in a bushing and through 5 ja largerv perforation or circular opening 4 gm the bearing 4 and carries a spherical washer 18, held in place on the king bolt 12 and against the spherical portion 4 by a nut 14.- and a cotter 15 or any other equivalent device.

It will be noted that the perforation 4 is iquite large in diameter compared to the perforation 6*, the object being to allow the spherical bearing 7 together with the bushing 6, washer 13 and king bolt'12, to swing at a relatively larger angle in any direction.

The slots 4 permit the lateral lugs 11 on the a groove 17 for the reception of a brake band 5 and prevents the band from slipping off. This brake has one end secured to a stationary bracket 18 secured to a suitable support 19 en the chassis, and here shown as a member extending transversely across the members 2. The movable end of the brake band has connected to it a wear piece 20 engaged by cam 21, on a vertical shaft 22, on whose lower end is a lever 22-3 pivotally connected to a rod 24. This rod 2- is connected in any well known manncr to a hand or foot lever (not shown) at the forward end of the tractor and within reach of the operator. By exerting a pull on the rod Q-t, the casting 4 will be frictioually held against. rotation on the ring 3 and thus permit the backing of the vehicle and tractor without undue in jury to any of the frictionally held parts by reason of the roar tractor wheels falling into a hole or rut during the backing operation, the friction being not sulliciently strong to hold the casting i against any movement whatever, it being understood that when exceptional force is exerted by the tractor, the casting twill slip sufficiently to prevent any breakage, while under ordinary conditions the friction is suflicient when the tractor has been turned at the desired angle for backing, to hold the tractor and ehicle in proper relation.

In Figs. 5 and 6, I have shown a modification wherein the friction ring is formed as a roller race 3 supporting a plurality of antifrictio-n rollers 25 and on these rollers rests a ring 26 held in place by bracket 27. This ring carries the parts 4 and is provided with a spherical bearing 7, a neck 8 and a plate 9, as in the illustration heretofore described.

The ring 26 is provided with a rack 28 exwith a brake band 33, one end of which is neld stationary by a pm 34 mounted in a bracket 35 projecting from the ringB The free end of the brake band is connected to arod 36 operated in any well known manner.

The universal connection between the vehicle and the tract-or is assured by reason of the parts 4, 7, 8, 9 and 11, etc., which are identical with those shown in Fig. 4:, for example, but the ring 26 is frictionally held against rotation by frictionally holding the pinion 29, gearing with the rack 28, by applying pressure to the band on the brake :32. Thus it will be seen that I provide in terlocking mechanism in therack 28 and pinion20, and means to frictionally control the interlocking mechanism in the brake a2,

I claim 1. A connection mechanism between a vehicle and a. tractor, comprising a stationary ring on the tractor, a ring rotatable with resgect thereto, means connected to the vehicle and cooperating with the rotatable ring to permit universal movement, and friction brake mechanism to control the rotation of the latter ring.

2. A connection mechanism between a vehicle and a tractor, comprising a ring on the tractor, a casting having a bottom flange cooperating with the ring, a sphericalvsocket on said casting having lateral slots extend ing below its horizontal diameter and a.ver-

tical central opening, a spherical bearing connected to the vehicle having lateral diamelrical lugs arrangedto lie in said slots, a bolt passing through the opening, a spherical washer on the bolt to cover the opening and brake mechanism to control the rotation of the casting.

3. A connection mechanism between a vehicle and a tractor, comprising a ring secured to the tractor, a ring supported thercon and having a rack, axpinion arranged to gear with the rack and a brake to control the rotation of the pinion and rack.

4. A connection mechanism between a vehicle and a tractor, comprising a ring secured to the tractor, a rotatable-ring cooperating therewith; rollers between the rings, brackets to hold the rotatable ring in operative position, said rotatable ring having a rack extending over a portion of its surface,

.a pinion projecting between the rings and gearing with the rack, a shaft on which said pinion is mounted, a brake wheel on said shaft, and a brake band cooperating with the wheel.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have'signed my name-in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE D. MUNSING.

VVitness-es James H. WnsTooTr, Tnnononn YOUNG. 

